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Why is my Mallard going White?
Hi - this is really strange: my 3 yr. old Mallard duck, once dark green and black has now turned almost completely white on his head and his breast feathers are almost all white. He is finishing a moult. Also he has been very aggressive but now he is as gentle and docile as the female. Has anyone had this happen - and what could the reasons be for the dramatic colour and behaviour change?
We went away for 10 days vacation, but the house-sitters are well used to looking after our ducks and know the routines. Could some sort of stress caused this?
Ali M
Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 "Dark green and black" are you sure its a mallard?
Colour change is common in older ducks, it generally occurs after the summer molt. Their colour will restore again, most likely after their next moult.
This happened to my 2 eldest Khaki Campbell drakes before.
Seen here in the back in full coulor:
http://i.imgur.com/tUi69.jpg
Here they are after their colour change:
http://i.imgur.com/8RjbA.jpg
Hi Darragh - thanks for information! I was told the male was a Mallard because his head is the bottle green sheen with a black bar around his neck and then some white and mix of brown white and some black feathering with white underside. He is 3 years old now, but he did not change colour during last summer's moult. I was worried that stress may have caused this - as all of the green has gone from his head. I also hatched some Chilterns this spring and there were major territorial issues. The female Chilterns look almost the same as your Khaki Campbells - lovely cocoa brown colour. Gorgeous ducks you have there! Do your males become excessively aggressive during breeding season?
Ali M
Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 Hi Ali, no my Khaki drakes never become aggressive during their breeding season, mainly because they have have enough females to keep them happy, the same is true for my Runners. However with my other breeds such as the Calls, Mandarins & Wood Ducks, their can be slight aggression mainly because they select one partner (not multiple like Khakis & Runners would) for the breeding season and just fight to protect their mate.
Here's what a Mallard should look like:
http://i.imgur.com/ra7OB.jpg
Also you may not have Chilterns but some other brown hybrid duck because Chilterns are white (sometimes with blonde markings) in colour not brown and are a similar shape to a Pekin duck:
http://i.imgur.com/kDP1k.jpg
Hi Darragh - thanks again! I am a total Dodo bird novice Duck owner. I do have Call Ducks but the male has the coloring of a Mallard. I laughed so hard when you sent the first mail and the pic of the brown ducks and the two White Calls -- no my ducks aren't getting that white - but definitely the male has lost his green head and black band. Don't know about my brown ducks, and the males who are a mix of white and black patches - I was told they were Chilterns and hatched the eggs so that I could have a couple of great layers in the garden as my calls aren't for the eggs but really pets. If you have an email I could send you pics of the big ducks I thought were Chilterns and you could hazzard a guess? They are lovely gentle ducks and interesting colours for sure! Oh this duck rearing is a hilarious adventure! Thanks for all the help.
Ali M
Sunday, July 24th, 2011 No worries, you can get my email here: http://sepoultry.weebly.com/contact.html
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Why is my Mallard going White?
Hi - this is really strange: my 3 yr. old Mallard duck, once dark green and black has now turned almost completely white on his head and his breast feathers are almost all white. He is finishing a moult. Also he has been very aggressive but now he is as gentle and docile as the female. Has anyone had this happen - and what could the reasons be for the dramatic colour and behaviour change?
We went away for 10 days vacation, but the house-sitters are well used to looking after our ducks and know the routines. Could some sort of stress caused this?
Saturday, July 23rd, 2011
"Dark green and black" are you sure its a mallard?
Colour change is common in older ducks, it generally occurs after the summer molt. Their colour will restore again, most likely after their next moult.
This happened to my 2 eldest Khaki Campbell drakes before.
Seen here in the back in full coulor:
http://i.imgur.com/tUi69.jpg
Here they are after their colour change:
http://i.imgur.com/8RjbA.jpg
Saturday, July 23rd, 2011
Hi Darragh - thanks for information! I was told the male was a Mallard because his head is the bottle green sheen with a black bar around his neck and then some white and mix of brown white and some black feathering with white underside. He is 3 years old now, but he did not change colour during last summer's moult. I was worried that stress may have caused this - as all of the green has gone from his head. I also hatched some Chilterns this spring and there were major territorial issues. The female Chilterns look almost the same as your Khaki Campbells - lovely cocoa brown colour. Gorgeous ducks you have there! Do your males become excessively aggressive during breeding season?
Saturday, July 23rd, 2011
Hi Ali, no my Khaki drakes never become aggressive during their breeding season, mainly because they have have enough females to keep them happy, the same is true for my Runners. However with my other breeds such as the Calls, Mandarins & Wood Ducks, their can be slight aggression mainly because they select one partner (not multiple like Khakis & Runners would) for the breeding season and just fight to protect their mate.
Here's what a Mallard should look like:
http://i.imgur.com/ra7OB.jpg
Also you may not have Chilterns but some other brown hybrid duck because Chilterns are white (sometimes with blonde markings) in colour not brown and are a similar shape to a Pekin duck:
http://i.imgur.com/kDP1k.jpg
Sunday, July 24th, 2011
Hi Darragh - thanks again! I am a total Dodo bird novice Duck owner. I do have Call Ducks but the male has the coloring of a Mallard. I laughed so hard when you sent the first mail and the pic of the brown ducks and the two White Calls -- no my ducks aren't getting that white - but definitely the male has lost his green head and black band. Don't know about my brown ducks, and the males who are a mix of white and black patches - I was told they were Chilterns and hatched the eggs so that I could have a couple of great layers in the garden as my calls aren't for the eggs but really pets. If you have an email I could send you pics of the big ducks I thought were Chilterns and you could hazzard a guess? They are lovely gentle ducks and interesting colours for sure! Oh this duck rearing is a hilarious adventure! Thanks for all the help.
Sunday, July 24th, 2011
No worries, you can get my email here: http://sepoultry.weebly.com/contact.html
Sunday, July 24th, 2011